An Unusual Pet
by xXBloody.ApocalypseXx
Summary: What happens when Ashlyn Sterling, an average university student who loves animals, encounters a beautiful black cat on the side walk? Furthermore, she meets a handsome man who turns out to be...something unpredictable and devilish...SebastianXOC
1. Ashlyn's New Pet

**_Author's Note:_**

_Rosalind: Oh, man! I really need to concentrate on my studies at this moment…but, that smexy ass of a demon seduced me to write this.  
>Sebastian: Seduce? Hardly!<br>Rosalind: Yeah, yeah…go on with your innocent butler act…stupid education, such pain…-_-  
>Sebastian: (leans onto her) Perhaps…I could relieve you of this "pain"… (Takes her pen out of her hands and throws Pure Math book out of the window)<br>Rosalind: Anyways…enjoy! And please, REVIEW! BTW, it's set in the 21st century. Bye, kinda busy here…  
>Sebastian: Yes, I need your full "attention"…<br>Rosalind: Oh! Wait, you whore! Let me mention the ratings! It's M rated for later chapters, so unless you're 'mature', don't go for it! It may contain drug/alcohol references, coarse language, sexual material, blah blah blah, the usual stuff this twisted mind of mine creates…just warning cuz my friend insisted quizilla would turn it down, so I'm here on fanfic to publish this...please enjoy, and REVIEW! pwetty pwease? with cherries on top?  
>Sebastian: Such an adorable girl! Now, be a good kitty, and I'll let you go on with your fanfic…(smirks devilishly)<em>

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><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>: Ashlyn's New Pet

It was an ordinary fall afternoon. Walking down the sidewalk towards my home after a busy day at work; the weather was getting me in a pretty good mood, calming my nerves. It was a fine Friday, with the soft breeze blowing against my soft black tresses. My black sling-backpack felt pretty heavy. Man, I just want to go home, relax and then work.

"Meow!"

The soft, imploring call of a feline pulled me out of my plans for the day. I whipped around to locate the source of the sound. I noticed a cute cat sitting on its bum a few feet behind me on the cobbled stone of the side-walk.

I had always adored these extraordinarily sweet creatures, and therefore, I couldn't resist walking up to it, and position myself in front of it on a single knee.

"Awww, are you alone? Are you lost? Do you have an owner?"

Looking at its appearance, it seemed like this cat had been in the wild for quite some time now. It had sleek, glossy raven-black fur which glistened in the light. Its soft paws padded closer to me, analyzing me and finally deciding that I was safe, and would not harm it. From its bearing, it was obviously a male. But, all these did not cause me to pick the cat up in my arms.

"Oh, don't you just have the most gorgeous eyes!" I exclaimed.

For it did. Honestly, never before in my life had I seen a cat with such bright blood red irises and the tiny slit-like pupils, clearly setting it apart from its fellows.

"Would you be interested to be my pet?" I asked the cat, bringing it up to my level by holding it by its slender body. It rubbed its soft paws against the back of my hand, meowing cutely. It was as if the cat understood me, and obliged.

"Alright, then! Shall we go home?"

I opened the door to my house and walked inside, turning on the lights and threw my bag on the black leather couch. Sitting myself on it, I pulled the cat onto my lap.

"So, what should I call you…?"

"Meow?"

"Okay, umm…I'll just say some names aloud, and you can help me!"

"Meow!"

"Uhh…how about 'kitty'?"

The cat shook its head vigorously.

"Hmm…yeah, it's a bit too cliché. On the other hand, you're one-of-a-kind…"

The afternoon passed away, with me trying to come up with a nice name for my beautiful cat.

"I know! I can call you 'Raven'! You're black, and you look like those ravens!"

The cat seemed overjoyed with the name. At least, from the way it licked my cheek, it seemed so.

I sat working on my laptop, noting a few things, typing some stuff. I had to finish an assignment, and hand it in after this week-end. I looked at my watch. It was 9:30 p.m. I guess I should get some dinner. I walked to the kitchen and began scooping out random things from the refrigerator, and stuffing them into the oven. I'm quite accustomed to living all alone. So, it was a moment before I remembered my new pet.

"Raven! It's time for dinner!"

The black feline gracefully streaked into the room and jumped onto a chair. I giggled and brought out a small bowl and poured some chocolate milk into it. Yeah…I know. I don't really drink milk, so that was all I had. The cat, however, started lapping at it with its small pink tongue without any complaints whatsoever.

"Oh, alright then. If you like it, then it's okay."

I had some lasagne with my usual can of coke. Raven had climbed onto the table, and was still licking at the milk. Amazingly, for a cat, it ate pretty spotlessly, without making a huge spill. There was hardly a drop or two of milk on the wooden surface. After finishing its meal, Raven purred loudly, with satisfaction mingled in its tone. Heck, this cat was extraordinarily good in expressing itself. I thought this when the cat jumped off and rubbed its body against my ankles.

"Hey, hey! Cut it out! That tickles!'

The cat looked up at me with its large innocent eyes, gazing protuberantly at my face. It let out a soft meow, and I picked it up in my arms. The cat wrapped its tail around my arm, and nuzzled its head against my chest. After washing the dishes and setting everything out, I walked back to the living room. After finishing my work, I stretched out and leaned back against the back rest of the couch. As I did so, the cat jumped up and stretched on my lap. It was sprawled out over my lap, with its hind legs on one side and front legs on the other side of my thighs. I giggled and scratched its back, feeling the soft fur against my fingers.

"I'm so tired! I need to take a bath."

I went upstairs to my bedroom, and opened my closet. Picking out my sheer satin nightgown, I walked into the bathroom and turned a few taps on. The bathroom had a huge white bathtub fixed to the floor, and it looked like a small swimming pool. I stood before the full length mirror and looked at myself as I got ready to dive in to the hot water. I really liked my appearance today, which was pretty unusual for me.

Long back-length black hair that was straight at the top, but slightly curled at the ends. A smooth, pale face with faint pinkish tinges at the cheeks. Shimmering blue eyes that sparkled because of my good mood today. A perfect height of five feet seven; not too tall, nor too short. Long thin legs leading upwards to broad, but carved hips, upwards to a flat stomach; full, firm breasts and long, thin arms. I guess it's not as bad as I usually think it is. My body had developed quite well by the age of eighteen, considering I'd been fat and flat when I was, like, ten. Anyways, I'm nineteen now, and am studying in university.

I was about to remove my underwear and get in, but I halted when my cat walked in through the door which was accidentally left slightly ajar by me. It walked up to the mirror and sat down on its bum in front of me, tilting its head and looking curious.

"You want to take a bath too?"

The cat looked up at me, meowing imploringly. I giggled and pulled the cat up into my arms. I set it onto a towel and undressed completely. The cat looked at me, still meowing, as I removed my remaining clothes. I was getting slightly aggravated at the cat's constant meowing.

"Don't you dare try and think this is a striptease or something…" Was I actually saying that to a _cat_?

I got into the tub. Immediately, Raven jumped into the tub, splashing water everywhere. I scooped the cat into my arms and sat it on my knees, while I scrubbed my body in an attempt to clear away the tiredness.

After a good long hour of relaxation, I pulled a towel from the rack, and wrapped myself in it. I got out and Raven trotted behind me, meowing slightly. He shook himself violently, spraying specks of water all over the place.

"Awww, you dry yourself in such a cute way!" I crouched down and picked up the cat in my arms.

I walked into the room and quickly slipped into my nightgown. As soon as I covered my body with the sheets, Raven meowed and jumped up onto the bed. I patted a place beside me, and Raven padded over. It moved about a few times in circles, finally found a comfortable spot, and curled up. I scratched it behind the ears lovingly, while it let out a content purr.

I soon drifted off into a comfortable slumber.

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><p>An: REVIEWS!


	2. The Stranger at The Shopping Mall

**Author's Note:** I shall not beat around the bush for this story, because I do not want to drag it too long or anything, and by too long I would mean like ,a hundred chapters...so yeah. this may feel abrupt, but it's not MY fault that Ashlyn's smart...

Oh, and FYI, this may take a longer time than usual to update because I'm not very high on Mt. Awesome-Ideas at the moment, so...yeah (?)

**Disclaimer:**

_Rosalind:_ I do not own Kuroshitsuji or Sebastian. _Though I would love to own him.  
>Sebastian: And I you, my dear...<br>Rosalind: WTF?  
>Sebastian: It's not my fault. You fangirls talk of me as a possession. So be it. I shall talk of you in the same way...<br>Rosalind: ...  
><em>_...He's got a point, ne?_

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><p><strong>Chapter 2:<strong> The Stranger at The Shopping Mall

"Raven!" I looked under the bed, the table and all around the house for my cat. "Bloody cat…where the hell _are_ you?"

I had to leave soon with my friends. I promised I'd go over for a girl's night out with them, since I almost never join them anymore. Their constant whining got the best of me, and ow I had to give my cat some food before I headed out. But the cursed furball was nowhere to be seen.

"Ah, forget it."

It's been a month since I got the furball, yet it never vanished like it has today.

I quickly ran upstairs and dressed up: a black tank-top, red and black pleated skirt which came to my knees and a pair of black pumps. I picked up my purse and dashed out of my house when I heard my friend's car-horn at my door.

"Ashlyn!" Tiffany screamed when she saw me. She caught me in a strangling hug.

"-can't-breathe-UHHH!"

"Oh, sorry…" Tiffany rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. "We're all really excited in having you with us…that's all."

I got into the rear seat with Jan, Kate and Eliza. Tiffany took the front and Aria was driving.

We reached the mall pretty quickly. The girls headed in to the stores at once, and I was left behind with Tiffany.

"Hey, Ash, wanna go grab a bite?" she asked me.

"Sure!"

We walked to the hotdog counter and sat down. Tiffany ordered for something and I just told her anything would be splendid. We chatted as we waited for our meals to arrive.

"So…how's everything going?" she asked.

"Oh, this is a welcome break from my hectic days..." I admitted.

"You know, you overwork yourself. That's not a good thing." Tiffany looked at me with a concerned look. I was about to reply when her expression changed to that of utter horror.

"Tiffany….what's the matter?" I asked, worried. She kept staring across from me…to my side…

I traced her sight to see…

A man sitting next to me at the counter.

And boy, was he hot.

He had black hair that was neatly cut into bangs that framed his face. He had a pale, pointed face and creamy skin; his arms were toned and he had broad shoulders. He was wearing a black and white diagonally striped T-shirt with a black jacket and a grey scarf. He wore ordinary black jeans. The clothes may be ordinary, but the guy was _not_. I haven't seen a more handsome guy anywhere in hell.

He was sitting, one leg gracefully poised on top of the other, beside me, and rested his chin on his palm while balancing his elbow on the counter. The woman who brought our hotdogs also seemed momentarily dazed by the new arrival.

"Wh-what would you need, sir?" she asked, her voice nearly breaking.

"Oh…I'm waiting for someone, actually. Do you mind if I sit here for a while?" The woman immediately began to stutter something incomprehensible as she walked off.

The man, as I noticed suddenly, was probably wearing contacts, for his eyes were an unnatural shade of crimson. I marveled at the colour before realizing I was staring.

And that the dude was staring back.

I blushed and lowered my eyes to the counter table in front of me, and I heard a deep chuckle come from the man. Tiffany was trembling beside me.

"May I know your name, miss?" he asked me, leaning forwards a bit. A bit closer to me.

"Ash-Ashlyn. Ashlyn Sterling." I wanyed to smack myself for stuttering.

"Ah, what a beautiful name for a beautiful lady. And what about you?" He looked at Tiffany.

Tiffany had already caught herself. She was back to her usual flirtatious self.

"Tiffany Harolds!" She extended a hand to the guy. He shook it.

"Sebastian Michaelis." He said, introducing himself. "Pleasure meeting you."

And Tiffany went on chatting with this beautiful stranger, the rest of the world forgotten. Eventually, the other girls found us. They saw the guy and the whole lot of them sat at the counter and were chatting happily.

But it was when he shook hands with Jan that I noticed something.

A silver metal bracelet with the word 'Raven' on it.

Okay. This. Is. Impossible.

That bracelet…I had put it on Raven's paw a day after I picked it up from the streets. The name etched into it was the proof that it was the one my cat wore. The bracelet hugged the man named Sebastian's wrist tightly, and the skin around the bracelet looked slightly flushed.

I blocked out the conversations of my friends and moved into a silent corner to think. As I bit into my hotdog, I tried to figure out the impossible.

I just met the guy. How does he have my cat's bracelet? It's definitely my cat's, because I can never mistake that engraving.

But then again, it could possibly be that he found my lost cat? But, how can such a coincidence occur…?

Yet, difficult, but not impossible.

Secondly, there is something unnerving about him. What is this strange aura around him? I mean, yeah, he's handsome. But he almost seems sinfully so. The girls are all absorbed into a conversation with him within fifteen minutes of knowing him. It almost seems like the guy's a magnet of some sort. A chick magnet, maybe?

And lastly, his attitude and mannerism seems weird too. He almost seems too nice to be real.

Ah, it's probably me being paranoid again. Gah, I don't get myself at times!

The last thing that should be bothering me is the bracelet, and where my cat went when it vanished today.

I'm going to ask the hot dude about that too-tight bracelet.

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><p><strong>AN:** SO, whatcha think? Reviews make me happy and keep me motivated to write more! Otherwise, i just lose the motivation...):

FYI, the outfit Sebastian's wearing is the same as the OVA: The Making of Kuroshitsuji II.


	3. Guitars and DJs

**Author's Note: this one has a lot of dialogues and there isn't too much of progress but...there's a huge shock coming! See how many can guess what's coming up!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 3: <strong>Guitars and DJs

"Where did you walk off to?" Eliza asked me as I walked back to where they were sitting.

"Oh…just felt like it…" I got all ears over the conversation between the others.

"And then I was like, 'wow, I think either Tiffany or Ashlyn bagged a hot guy!' exclaimed Kate. Tiffany and Aria giggled, Jan slapped Kate's arm, and Sebastian chuckled.

"Oh… 'hot guy', is it?" Sebastian winked at Kate, and I noticed that even a confident girl like her couldn't help but blush.

I walked up to Tiffany and sat down beside her. The immediate look I received from Sebastian, though discreet and fleeting, was anything but calming.

We ate through a couple more hotdogs and corndogs, listening to the girls enjoy their conversation.

"So, what do you do, Sebastian?" Tiffany asked animatedly.

Sebastian chuckled. "Did you hear of the DJ Mystique?"

Jan, Kate, Aria, Eliza and Tiffany all screamed 'yes!' in unison, while I went like, "Who?"

Aria looked at me as if I had committed some sort of blasphemy. "The DJ who plays only once a month. On every thirteenth, to be precise. He always wears a black punisher's mask along with black robes. He's the most epic DJ ever! Even the superstitious lots end up on the dance floor. Club Stone was renamed to 'Black Stone' ever since the black-clad DJ Mystique started playing there!"

"…oh…" I felt like a dumbass. Well, it's not like I went to Club Black Stone anyway. I don't have time to enjoy nightlife.

"So, what about the DJ?" Aria turned to Sebastian.

"As a secret between me and all you ladies, he's sitting in front of you."

No sooner were the last six words out, the girls looked close to passing out.

"Oh. My. God." Tiffany gaped.

"That is like the biggest secret EVER!" gasped Kate.

"I love your music!" Jan exclaimed.

"I'm impressed…?" I said, with nothing more in stock.

**AN UNUSUAL PET**

Sebastian informed us that he was also into stuff like sports and video games, as well as heavy metal, which my friends did not find very interesting. Sports made him a jock, and that was fine, but metal made him a head-banger, which they did not find attractive. Well, I never said they did not have stereotyped minds.

I love metal, on the other hand, so I was okay with it.

"I also love to play the violin, as well as the guitar." Sebastian said, sipping on a glass of coke.

"Wow, that is so cool!" Kate exclaimed.

"I like playing the guitar too!" Tiffany said, "But if you love the electric guitar, Ashlyn's your girl!"

I blushed. "Hey, I'm not that good…"

"Yeah, right." Said Jan, with an eye-roll.

"Oh, is that so?" Sebastian looked at me curiously.

"Um, yeah." I admitted.

I loved music. Since childhood, I've learned various instruments: piano, keyboard, violin, guitar as well as a bit of drums, though, being a person who tires easily, I could not cope up with the energy-requiring percussion instrument.

I used to love classical as a little girl, but as soon as I crossed the one-digit ages, I developed a passion for the fast and aggressive beats and distortions brought in front of me by my favourite metal bands like Slipknot, Children of Bodom, Black Veil Brides and Avenged Sevenfold.

"I would like to hear you play one day." Sebastian said, smirking.

I blushed yet again.

Suddenly:

"OMG! Guys, our movie is about to start!" Tiffany exclaimed. They all had tickets for this new romantic movie which came to the Cineplex just a few days ago. I found the trailer very crappy, and therefore denied them from getting me a ticket.

"Sebastian, aren't you gonna watch the movie?" Jan asked.

"No, I did not find the trailer particularly interesting." Sebastian replied, glancing at me sideways.

He's not watching the movie for the same reason that I am not watching it. Just another coincidence…right?

"All right then, you can keep Ashlyn occupied until we get back!" Tiffany said before they all turned and rushed into the Cineplex.

We sat there silently for sometime, before Sebastian asked, "Why did you not go for the movie?"

"Um…" I was at a loss of words. "I did not find the trailer intriguing either."

"I see…" he smirked in the know-something-you-don't kind of way. "What a coincidence."

We were silent once again, before I decided to finally ask him. I was too curious to let it go.

"Nice bracelet." I motioned to his wrist. "Where did you get it?"

"Oh, thank you." He turned to scan my eyes with his own crimson ones for any other look than curiosity. Suspicion, maybe? Or paranoia. Yes. Definitely paranoia. It was as if he knew why I was asking him about the bracelet. "It was given to me by someone very important to me."

"Oh…" I sensed that his reply was final, and he would not say anything further about it. I can't really pry on a stranger like that anyways.

"So, what is your hobby?" he asked me, with a look of polite curiosity on his face.

"Oh, I love reading, and painting. I love music, and I can't imagine life without my iPod and stereo." I smiled.

His lips curved on one end into a crooked grin, "Well, that is interesting. We share hobbies. I find painting and reading quite enjoyable. As for music, I have chosen it as a profession."

The mall was getting more crowded with people as we continued chatting, and the Cineplex already had a housefull. We sat there, me biting on my hotdog while Sebastian sipped on his second can of Diet Coke, talking about different things: music, movies, paintings, books, museums, travel…the list goes on and on.

Truth be told, when I first set eyes on Sebastian, I thought he would be much of those jocky playboys looking around the mall for single girls to lay. They always have that sort of flirtatious look on their face – similar to the kind Sebastian wore, but in fact, he now seemed to be a pretty decent guy. I also noticed that we had a lot in common. Which was an unusual occurrence, seeing that I was an 'unusual' combination myself, as my friends termed it.

We continued talking, and I lost track of time. But now and then, I glanced around at our surroundings.

I thought I caught glimpse of a woman looking in our direction, while, from the corner of my eye, I thought I saw Sebastian smirk over the rim of the can he had raised to his lips.

Okay, now I know I'm being paranoid.

Suddenly, I remembered a crucial fact.

"Hey, Sebastian," I looked at him as he bit on the end of a Granola bar. "Weren't you waiting for someone?"

He leaned forwards, resting his chin on his intertwined hands and looked at me with a smirk. "Do you wish I left you alone, Ashlyn?"

I was outraged. "What's that supposed to mean? I just asked that – I'm not implying that I'm tired of talking to you! I just meant to ask - "

On the other hand, Sebastian was busy wincing. He licked his lower lip and said softly, "…never liked Granola bars anyways…"

"- what you were here for…" I heard him talking to himself indistinctly. "…wait. What?"

Sebastian chucked the Granola bar away and glanced at his black Rolex. "The movie should be over by now."

No sooner had he said so, the doors opened and I noticed the girls come out.

"Well…" Sebastian stood up from the wine-glass type chair and ran his fingers through his hair. "I guess this is goodbye. It's getting quite late."

"Yeah, I know." I said, smiling slightly. "Thanks for the great company."

"Pleasure's all mine." He replied, smiling crookedly. "When can we meet again?"

"Uh…" I was unsure about how to reply.

"How about you come to the club on the 13th of this month? I'll get my manager to let you up onto the DJ stands."

I was not really interested in clubbing, but he had a lot in common with me, and after talking so much to him and realizing that he's a great guy, I didn't want to say no to him. Plus, there was a sort of mysterious aura surrounding this guy. My curiosity begged me to get to know this guy better and solve that mystery.

"Of course, you can bring your friends along with you. They're really interesting too. And I guess they would possibly enjoy the club a lot more than you would…" Sebastian smirked slyly.

I slapped him lightly on the arm and laughed. "Fine, we'll be there."

Tiffany and Jan looked very happy and they were all discussing the movie animatedly as they walked towards us.

"Ash, let's go! It's past eleven thirty pm already! I'm tired and sleepy." Kate complained.

'Yeah, sure. Why not?" I picked up my purse and stood up. My legs had grown stiff from sitting at one place for so long. My ankles hurt in my high heels.

Tiffany led the way and we all began to follow her. Suddenly, my arm was grabbed in a vice-like grip. I turned around to see Sebastian standing there.

He loosened his grip when he found me wincing.

"Just decided to tell you that the trailer of the movie was something we both watched on the TV." He winked, let go of my arm, turned and briskly walked away.

Leaving me gaping like a fish.

**AN UNUSUAL PET**

"Bye, hun!" Aria waved to me as she drove away. "Till next girl's night out!"

I kept waving back till the bright red convertible disappeared round the corner.

As I entered the house, Raven was still nowhere to be seen.

Sebastian's parting words eerily hung in my mind. I didn't know what was going on, but the way he changed the topic about the bracelet as well as the obscure information he supplied about its origins were absurdly mysterious.

He was mysterious.

And that interested me.

Clubbing is not my thing, but black-robed, heavy metal loving guys in Punisher Masks seemed appealing enough.

I will definitely get to the bottom of the two mysteries.

**One:** the whereabouts of my cat.

**Two:** Sebastian Michaelis.

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><p><strong>AN: extra long chapter to make up for the long wait! This had a lot of conversations, no? I feel that the story structure would not develop much without all the dialogues, and the characters talking and getting to know each other. Plus, dialogues show the way the characters speak, and that gives all readers a better insight to the character's mannerism. Plus, I like writing dialogues. So, yeah. R&R!**

**Important Author's Note: **

**I'm gonna pull back and relax after this!**

**Nah, I don't have time to relax. But there's a high chance it'll take time for me to update any of my stories due to my workload.**

**I promise to update multiple chapters for each and every story once I return.**

So whatcha think? You guys got a hell lotta time to review, so the more reviews I get, the harder I'll work on updating sooner!

Rosalind: REVIEWS = LOVE!

Sebastian: And it also helps my mistress work faster.

Rosalind: Yeah, of course it does!

Sebastian: So, kind readers, instead of simply following and/or favouriting, please leave atleast a few words for my mistress to feel motivated!

Rosalind: SEBASTIAN's asking you!


	4. Cat Issues

**A/N:** extra long chapter to make up for the long wait! Can't say anything...was too busy to update *wallows in emo corner*

Anyways, I'll be updating this sooner than I used to before.

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><p><strong>Chapter 4:<strong> Cat Issues

I came home so tired, that all I did was take off my clothes, (and threw them on the nearest chair) and climbed into bed in my sheer nightgown. No shower, no nothing. I decided that tomorrow was a great day to worry about Raven. All I wanted now was to sleep.

I plopped into the pillow and turned the lamp on my bedside table off. Within minutes, I was under.

**-unusual pet-**

_Mhmhm…wow~!_

Something felt so absolutely _warm_…so absolutely _cosy_…and smelled _so_ _good_~

And absolutely _heavy_…

The first rays of bright sunlight hit my eyes even as they were closed through my open eastern window. _So sad_…I was feeling so _cosy_…

As I tried to sleepily maneuver my body, I felt the sheer weight of something hinder my movement…

But…what weighs _so much_…?

A pillow…_probably_…

_Ah_…_nah_! I don't have such _heavy_ pillows…

Pillows don't feel like _skin_…

Ah, I could feel a toned arm…so cosy…against my own…

I was lying with my face buried in the pillow, and my back up to the ceiling. I could feel a hard weight against my back…something, no _someone_…lying on top of me…

…

What the hell?!

No sooner had that thought come into my mind, I jumped up in my bed.

"Meow!" a furious cat-screech filled the room as a black furball hissed at my sudden reaction from the bottom of my bed.

"Raven…you scared me…" I rubbed my forehead due to the sudden shock. And then…

"Raven!" I yelled in joy. "You're back!"

I threw myself onto the floor at the cat (quite akin to a feline, no?), which did not react quite fast enough to find an escape route, as I flung myself and grabbed it in a hug.

I rubbed my chin against its head, its paws tucked away at my chest as I cuddled up with the cat. I held it up in front of me with both hands and brought it up to my face until our noses nearly touched.

"You stupid cat!" I scolded, as the cat seemed nonplussed. "You gave me such a scare! Where on earth did you run off to?"

The cat purred and turned away its face as if it disregarded the question altogether. It's red eyes sparkled.

"Raven?" I called. The cat turned its crimson, piercing gaze onto me. "Where have you been?"

It turned its head away again, this time in the opposite direction, with its nose in the air.

_Wow_, I thought, as I felt an anime-tick form in my forehead. _One stuck-up, arrogant cat, this one._

I set the cat down on the floor as I got up.

"Well, then…" I groaned, pulling the straps of my nightgown down and picking up a pair of jeans from a nearby chair (where it had been flung carelessly…I know, I'm messy). "Let's get ourselves some breakfast, hmm?"

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><p>Tiffany neared the garage to hear a loud sound coming from Ashlyn's house.<p>

"Oh, damnit. Bad timing." She said under her breathe. "Ashlyn's probably using that monster boom box…"

She walked up the porch and knocked on the door. No reply.

All she heard was Ashlyn's voice singing the same lyrics blaring from the speakers:

_Stay,  
>You don't really know where you stand<br>Till you know that you won't run away  
>There's something inside me that feels<br>Like breathing in sulfur!_

"Ashlyn?!" she knocked again. Nope.

"ASHLYN!" she yelled and knocked yet again. Wow.

She banged her fists on the door. Same result.

Okay, Tiffany thought, let's combine everything I've got. Let's produce all the sound energy I can in one go.

She took a deep breath.

"ASHLYN!" Tiffany yelled, while hitting and pounding the door with both hands with all her strength.

"Tiffany?" she heard after the music had been turned down.

The door was thrown open.

* * *

><p>"Oh man, how long have you been knocking?" I asked, genuinely surprised at her arrival.<p>

"Oh, I just knocked three times." Tiffany said in an irritated voice. "If I had kept knocking, I think that instead of standing on your doorstep for about ten minutes, I would have to stand for ten years till the knock reached your ears through all _that_."

I sweat-dropped before rubbing the back of my head sheepishly. "Sorry, girl."

"Yeah, yeah…" Tiffany smirked before heading into my living room and throwing herself onto the couch. "It's so _messy_ in here…"

Tiffany never approved of my living room, especially the Xbox sitting on the center table with DVD cases strewn all over the place.

"Ah, sorry…" I walked over and wiped all of the DVD cases off the table and onto the floor with a single swipe. "Breakfast?"

"Sure." Tiffany picked up the remote, leaned back into the leather couch and switched the TV on.

I went into the kitchen, Raven trotting at my heels. I set out a bowl of chocolate milk on the counter and the feline instantly jumped up, licking away at the contents of its bowl.

"Ya know…" Tiffany said, "For a cat you picked off the streets, that one's got swell manners."

"Hmm?" I called out of the kitchen, setting two bowls of Cheerios on the tray. "What do you mean?"

I sat next to her on the couch, handing her a bowl.

"Yay, Cheerios!" she said. We're just like elementary kids. Well, we've been friends for longer than that.

"So?" I nodded in the direction of the cat.

"I mean…" Tiffany munched. "…remember Corky?"

"That spoilt cat of yours?" I sipped on my orange juice. "After it scratched me on my first visit to your house? Barely."

"Sarcastic bitch."

"So what about it?" I asked, shoving a spoonful of cereal into my mouth.

"She always made a lot more mess…" Tiffany looked at Raven. "Your cat doesn't spill a _blot_ of milk. I just got past the point of thinking its preference for chocomilk is weird."

"Huh…" I set my glass on the table. The TV played some rap music video. "…I guess that is pretty weird…"

"Does it conduct its _business_ indoors?" Tiffany nudged my arm, staring at the cat on the counter.

"No…it always shits outdoors, probably…" I said.

"Oh my god!"

"What?!" Tiffany's sudden outburst took me aback.

"Look, for fuck's sake!"

I turned to see a few drops of milk on the counter. Raven's sleek black furry face was drenched in milk.

"Raven!" I rushed to clean it up. "Really, Tif."

"Oh lord, Ash…" Tiffany yelled. "Your cat literally snorted into that bowl when you talked about it shitting!"

"Seriously."

"Oh, come on!" Tiffany hollered. "That cat is downright weird! And I'm not kidding. It snorted!"

"As if in disdain?" I gave her a mildly amused look.

"As if in disdain!" Tiffany yelled. "Wait…you're mocking me, aren't you?!" She pouted at my grin.

I wiped the milk off Raven and set it on the ground.

"There," I said. "See, Tif? Nothing wrong with it."

"B-but-"

"Tif…" I looked at her, aghast. "Remember seventh grade?"

She looked at me.

"You said that the guy living next door to Aria was a vampire?"

"…yeah, the blood he was supposedly drinking out of a bottle was just very dark wine…" Tiffany rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly.

"Look, what I'm trying to say is," I patted Tiffany's back. "That, Tif, you're just really superstitious. I know you never approved of my cat since it is black…"

"All right. Fine." Tiffany said. "Perhaps it's just a coincidence…"

"Yeah." I said, as we returned to our positions on the couch. We sat in silence for a while, finishing our Cheerios.

"'Kay, guess we should get going…classes should start pretty soon, and we have to get to work too…" Tiffany said. Besides attending university, we had also joined part-time jobs at the same electronics company for graphics design (me) and software engineering (Tiffany).

So I quickly grabbed my stuff, kissed Raven's head, turned off the lights, locked the door, and we hopped into my car. I tossed the keys to Tiffany.

As Tiffany drove and I fiddled with the stereo, I couldn't help pondering over Tiffany's words.

_"…just a coincidence…" _

Raven had the silver bracelet on his arm.

The same bracelet I gave him.

The bracelet I saw digging into Sebastian Michaelis's wrist yesterday.

_Perhaps it was a coincidence?_

"Hey, Ash?"

I was shaken out of my thoughts by Tiffany's voice.

"Let's go to the mall at 5:00 pm this evening. I need to buy a new dress for this 13th." Tiffany said.

"This 13th?" I asked. "Why?"

"…" And suddenly I remembered.

"Oh my gosh…I'm so sorry…" I gasped. "It's your first month anniversary with Glade!"

Tiffany huffed. Glade was a guy she had a crush on since…well, three months. They started dating a month ago. He was about 5'9" tall, with a pale face, bronze eyes and shining blonde hair which hung low over his eyebrows. In short, he was the hottest guy any of us were dating.

Yeah. Aria, Eliza, Kate and Jan all had boyfriends. I was the only single, workaholic creeper. I don't know Eliza and Jan all that well. Aria and Kate are high school friends. Tif and I are diaper buddies. Our moms were BFFs.

My parents currently lived in France, where my dad had his export business. The business was a success, so they get to live in luxury, and even give me a house in California. I also earn now, so I'm not actually challenged for money.

"Okay, Tif, you remember that Sebastian guy from yesterday?"

"DJ Mystique? Hell yeah." Tiffany said, without taking her eyes off the road. "You know what? You're single. You should totally date him."

"…where did that come from?"

"Oh, c'mon now, Ash!" Tiffany exclaimed. "You guys would look so cute together!"

I smacked her arm. "You're making me forget my point."

"…okay…" Tiffany said, giggling.

"He invited all of us over on the 13th, and you guys get to go meet him too." I finished.

Tiffany literally took her eyes off the road to gape at me like a fish.

"SERIOUSLY?" she struggled as I forced her to face the road.

"No, I'm just joking to make you kill us."

"Wow…" Tiffany looked at the road, still awestruck. "You guys got that far in two hours?"

"What do you mean, 'that far'?" I yelled. "We were having a friendly conversation, and he just invited us all to the club."

Tiffany giggled. "Sure. And DJ Mystique just gives out his identity to anyone."

I frowned. "I found that slightly odd too…but he told all of you too…so why single me out?"

"Because," Tiffany took the tone a mom would use to convince a five-year-old, "he talked to us longer than he spoke to you before the movie, but there seemed to be a sparkle in his eyes when he talked to you."

"…huh?" I looked at her, aghast. "I don't quite get you."

"Gosh, Ash…" Tiffany said, as she parked my car in the driveway, and we reached for our messenger bags. "You're the thickest chick when it comes to guys, aren't you?"

"…fuck you."

"Thing is…" Tiffany continued, totally disregarding my disdain. "…he was interested in you, the plainest, quietest, least social and clearly the purest chick in our bunch."

"…okay, now you're just insulting me." I frowned, shoving my stuff into the locker and bringing out a large math course book.

"Really, Ashlyn?" Tiffany interjected. "When's the last time you wore flashy stuff like pink minis or sequined tops? I always see you in maroon or…" she pinched the sleeve of my black 'My Chemical Romance' t-shirt, "…black."

"And what exactly went wrong with black and maroon?" I glared.

"It's too laid back and blends too well."

"SO?"

"Indicating you're plain." Tiffany and I walked down the corridor. "Wear orange or pink or yellow or even bright green."

I looked at Tiffany in a light pink top, white short-shorts and white high heels. Then I looked down at myself in a black tee, navy blue skinnys and black Converses.

"…I think I'll pass…" I said simply, leaving Tiffany with the O.O; face. "C'mon, it's not gonna suit me in the slightest."

Tiffany sighed deeply. In a prolonged manner. "Gosh, arguing with you is worse than pointless."

"Couldn't I say the same for you even more often?"

"…well, fuck you." She grumbld. "Anyways, let's grab the girls and go to Black Stone this 13th, 'kay?"

"Ya." I nodded, as we entered the classroom, and took our seats at the back.

"And we buy ourselves two dresses tonight,'kay?"

"Sur-wait, what?" I yelled. "I've got enough dresses to wear!"

Tiffany flipped me off as she turned to texting on her phone.

"Tiffany-"

She flipped me off again. I could feel another anime tick forming on my head.

"…whatever." I groaned, burying myself behind a math textbook.


	5. Mall Shock Round 2

**Author's Note:** Whew! *rubs off sweat* that was a long chapter to write...and Sebby-kun is finally back! I actually took this from a real life setting, so yeah...this incident is akin to something that happened to me (minus the cat issue, cause as much as I would love it, I don't own a pet cat. *sob*)

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5:<strong> Mall Shock Round 2

"You know, Ashlyn," Tiffany said in a dangerous tone. "I've observed faster _snails_."

I grumbled, flipping her off as I stuffed the folder I had been holding between my lips into my messenger bag.

"Well, come _on!_" Tiffany tapped her foot impatiently.

After shooting several death glares at each other, we finally got into my car as I drove us to the mall.

**-unusual pet-**

I sat on the seat nearest to the door as Tiffany changed from one dress to another and posed before me.

Right now she was displaying a bright bronze dress to me.

"You know, you look good in nearly all the dresses you've tried out so far." I said, scratching my head.

"…you know, I've not known a girl more interested than you when it comes to games and tech and studies and music…" Tiffany frowned, hands on hips. "…but you should exhibit a minimal amount of interest in clothes for once, ya know?"

I blinked up at her with bright blue eyes.

"…darn, I forgot I was talking to Ashlyn Sterling," Tiffany massaged her temples. "You're not uninterested, you're just genuinely that stupid when it comes to fashion."

I shot a forced grin in her direction and shrugged.

"Screw this shit." I stayed silent under her wrath, suppressing a laugh.

She marched into the changing room with her clothes. "I'm taking this bronze one." She told the saleswoman.

When she stepped into the room, I let my eyes wander into the corridors beyond the glass doors of the store. The usual crowd: high school girls shopping, couples holding hands and sitting on the small benches here and there, escalators running up and down, middle-aged women with kids.

And now, a black cat with crimson eyes with a silver bracelet around its paw, was staring at me.

I blinked about five times, before standing up. "RAVEN?!"

Tiffany had come out by now, and was getting her dress packed. "Raven? Ash, have you lost it? What would your cat be doing in a mall? How would it locate you? It's a cat, for hell's sake, not a freakin' dog!"

The cat stared at us. I stared at Tiffany, then back at Raven. Tiffany stared at me, then at Raven.

"… … … well, I'll be damned." Was all Tiffany could say.

The cat turned away, flicked its tail at me and ran off.

"Raven, you bastard kitty!" I dashed past a dazed saleswoman and rushed through the glass doors at the retreating tail and bum of my cat.

I heard Tiffany yell, "Ash, wait!" as she picked up her bags.

The cat ran down the down escalator, with me hot at his heels. I literally sent an old man flying as I dashed past the corndog stands, chasing the troublesome feline. He kept up the flash-dash, with me nearly running into people twice. Curses flew past me as I skidded and turned sharp corners on the tiled floors.

He ran past 'Caution: Wet Floors' with absurd flair, not tripping in the slightest.

Me? Not so much.

I slipped and fell onto my bum, sliding down at least ten steps on the floor. I heard a sickening scrape of un-oiled sliding doors opening, and the goddamned cat ran into the gents' clothing store.

I sat there, fuming at the trouble my cat was causing lately. "Oww… …man…"

I turned around, away from the store, and tried to get to my feet, just to lose my footing and land on the floor with another _thunk_.

People were staring now. Some old people looked at me sadly, while a few university girls (moreover, from _my_ university) laughed.

But that all stopped, all of a sudden. I heard the sliding panel open again.

"…is that you, Ashlyn?"

No way was this happening. That voice was too familiar. Damn karma.

I looked behind over my shoulder to see Sebastian Michaelis walking over to where I sat, offering me his hand. I took it gratefully and he pulled me to my feet, my face heating up.

He was dressed in a low-necked ash t-shirt, black leather jacket (was that Armani?) and dark jeans. He wore Converse on his feet.

"How did you fall?" he inquired, trying to suppress a faint chuckle. I blushed three shades darker.

"Umm…" I looked around at the crowd, which had disappeared, leaving the girls from my university, who were now gaping at us (mostly Sebastian) like fishes. They turned and quickly sauntered off when they saw me glance their way. "I was chasing my cat…"

"Cat?" Sebastian said. "In the mall?"

I chuckled sheepishly. "…I know it's weird, but yeah. I saw my cat in the mall all of a sudden, and he dashed into the store you just came out of."

"…I see." Sebastian said. "But I didn't see a cat."

"…he tends to be very sneaky," I said, massaging my lower back from the fall. "Guess I'll find him later-"

"Ash!" I heard Tiffany's voice call out. "Ashlyn, are you okay?"

Tiffany ran over to where we were standing.

"…Sebastian!" Tiffany panted, hands on knees, bent over in exhaustion like she'd run a marathon. "What brings you here?" She glanced at me out of the corner of her eye.

"Oh, I was going around the mall because I wanted to buy something for someone special," Sebastian said, smirking slightly, running his hand through his hair.

Tiffany chuckled. She cast a furtive glance my way. "Oh, okay…Sebastian, if it isn't much work, could you help us with some-"

I grabbed her arm, pulling her away. "Thanks a lot, Sebastian. Tiffany," I glared at her so that Sebastian couldn't see me. "Sebastian is busy-"

"Actually," Sebastian stepped forward. "I'm done, and I was about to leave. If I could be any help…"

"Of course you could!" Tiffany stepped on my foot, making me let go of her, silently yelping in pain. "I mean…" Tiffany started piecing up her story to make it sound like her reason for asking Sebastian for help was very specific. "…you did invite us to Black Stone-"

"On the 13th, yes." Sebastian smiled. "I do hope you'll all be there," he looked at me, then at Tiffany.

"Yes!" Tiffany smiled brightly. "Of course we will! In fact, it's my first month anniversary with my boyfriend on that day!"

"Oh really, now?" Sebastian chuckled. "Well, then, that's pretty convenient. So you'll celebrate at Black Stone, hmm?"

"Yeah, that's what Ashlyn suggested." I glared daggers from the corner of my eye at Tiffany, who continued conversing with Sebastian like she would with an old friend.

"…good to hear," Sebastian looked at me with a small, close-eyed smile. And turned to Tiffany. "So, what is it that you required my assistance with?"

Tiffany slid her arm through mine, pulling me forward towards the escalator.

"Follow us!"

**-unusual pet-**

"By the way, I do believe Ashlyn was searching for her cat…" Sebastian started, as we stood in front of another large clothing store.

"Yes, we'll see that later," Tiffany shrugged it off, now grabbing Sebastian's arm as well, as she pulled us both into the store. "Besides, that cat is plenty smart. I'm sure it'll make its way home."

"Seriously, Tif." I said after a long span of staying silent.

"Seriously, Ash." She gestured for Sebastian to take a seat on the couch near the changing cubicles.

"So, Sebastian," Tiffany began, as Sebastian crossed his legs, one atop the other, listening to Tiffany with mild curiosity on his features. "Ashlyn, as you probably know, from your conversation yesterday night, isn't exactly much of a club-goer. We need a good dress for her."

My jaw dropped to the floor. "Umm, Tif-"

"So!" Tiffany blotted out whatever I had to say. Sebastian looked amused. "Since you look like someone with an excellent fashion sense," she gestured at Sebastian's attire. "I thought your word would be more convincing than mine to Ashlyn."

Tiffany glared at me with such force (discreetly, of course) that I simply nodded rapidly.

Sebastian chuckled. "Sure. I don't see why not. I'm glad to be of help."

"Well, then…" Tiffany clasped her hands together, smirking maniacally as she gave her back to Sebastian. "Let's find you something good, Ash…"

**-unusual pet-**

Tiffany forced me into dress after dress, but Sebastian always found something or the other wrong with each and every dress. Though annoying, I thought it was good; he was being honest. Perhaps if he kept this up longer, Tiffany would drop her obsession over getting me a dress.

I came out in a shiny, purple polo-necked number, when Sebastian shook his head briefly, and murmured something about 'too flashy', and Tiffany's phone beeped.

She held her phone to her ear and motioned to the two of us (who were now looking at her) to continue picking dresses. Sebastian looked at me with a small smile, as Tiffany disappeared out the shop in a happy hop.

"I guess we have to continue as Tiffany asked us to…" Sebastian said. I looked at him with a confused look.

"Umm, Sebastian…" I bit my lower lip. "Not that I'm trying to sound ungrateful or anything here…but, why are you helping us?"

Sebastian shot me an amused expression. "Well, refusing you would be rather ungentlemanly of me, now wouldn't it? Tiffany's a nice person; I wouldn't turn down her need for assistance."

"…right," I said, still confused, when Sebastian smiled at me and stood up from the squashy leather couch where he'd been lounging thus far, and grabbed my shoulders in a light grip.

I was frozen to the spot, as Sebastian lowered his lips to my ear.

"Let's make things easier on you, shall we, Ashlyn?" he whispered. "Rather than you playing the mannequin, I'll simply pick out a dress I feel would suit you. How about that, hmm?"

I looked at his pale face and crimson eyes (they're definitely contacts. Definitely.), as he straightened up and walked into the display section of the store.

"Ashlyn?"

I was shaken out of my reverie when that velvety voice called out to me.

"Sebastian?" I followed the route he had taken to where he now stood. He held out a black dress out for me to see.

"Do you like this?" He questioned.

I took the hanger bearing the dress from his hands and stared at it. It was a pencil skirt with an attached black halter top. The skirt came down to the mid-thighs. The back was held together with strings, revealing half of the back and then, just a slit where the cloth ended to give way to the strings. There were silver butterfly patterns along the right side of the skirt and the left side of the chest. It was made entirely of a velvet material and slightly crumpled at the waist. The neck line was a V, but looking at it, I could tell it would just present a teasing view of the cleavage, just enough to grab one's interest and covered enough to suit my tastes. The neck was bordered in a silver satin strip.

"…it's really pretty," I said. "But this has got to be expensive. The material is pretty good quality."

"It is, now isn't it?" Sebastian looked at me. "Why don't you try it on?"

"…umm, all right…"

**-unusual pet-**

"Ashlyn, you might want these," Sebastian said from beyond the doors of the changing room.

"…" I looked overhead to see that Sebastian was handing me a pair of fishnet stockings and a pair of black short boots with stripper heels. I grabbed them.

"Thanks."

**-unusual pet-**

When I stepped out of the changing room completely dressed, Sebastian looked me over with a smirk.

I felt very, very self-conscious by this point. _Tiffany, wait till you get back. I'm gonna strangle you for putting me in this more-than-awkward situation._

I mean, judging from our conversation yesterday, Sebastian was a really nice guy, but nonetheless, we knew absolutely nothing about him other than his occupation. And we really shouldn't be getting so close to a guy like this so easily.

But another part of me was telling me right now to trust the guy. He seems really nice. _Besides, he seems interested in you. How many guys have made you feel this way after Ryan?_

I just shook that out. Sebastian spoke, bringing me out of my inner world.

"That is simply stunning, Ashlyn," he smiled at me. "You look very beautiful."

There was something wrong with this guy. His choice of words, maybe? Ryan would have said something like, "you look hot" or "damn, that just makes me hard."

But this guy, though looking like a punk with his hairstyle and piercings in his ear, was much more decent. I liked that.

_Wait, what? I liked that?_ Why am I even thinking about these aspects of him? Why am I comparing him to my ex-boyfriend?

"Umm…" I could feel my cheeks heating up. "Thanks, Sebastian."

I looked in the mirror. Truly, I was looking pretty good. Sebastian's got some taste, huh.

"Come on, Ashlyn, get changed." Sebastian said, "We have to find Tiffany, don't we?"

"Yeah…" he spoke so casually about that, as if we really were long-time friends instead of strangers who had stumbled upon one another.

But why am I singling him out as a stranger over and over again? We talked for a long time yesterday, and I should try to get familiar too. Besides, we'd be visiting the Black Stone because he invited us. I can't call him a stranger any more. We were acquaintances as soon as he'd laid down that proposal.

And after today's events, he just did something I only come to do with my close friends.

I entered the changing room, and donned my original outfit. I came out with the dress, which Sebastian took from me.

"You picked out the shoes, and stuff?" I asked.

Sebastian nodded, placing the items on the counter.

Before I could grab my bag to make the payment, he had already handed over his credit card.

_Now he's done it._

_**-unusual pet-**_

"You know, Sebastian…" I said, as we walked out of the store (Sebastian insisted he'd carry my shopping bag for me). "You needn't have paid."

Sebastian chuckled. "I know. But it's my pleasure, buying a beautiful girl the dress which looked so nice on her."

I think you could have boiled a potato on my face at this point. I choked on whatever I was going to say, and started coughing. Sebastian turned to face me.

"Ashlyn, you okay?" He asked, a look of worry plastered across his handsome features. I noticed he had his arm across my back as he patted it to calm my fit of coughs.

_Damn blushing._

"Umm…yeah *cough* I'm fine…*cough*," I said.

Sebastian gave me a puzzled look, before leading me away from the escalator we were about to go on to get to the lower floor and search for Tiffany.

**-unusual pet-**

I drank the water Sebastian offered me. He had apparently brought me over to a food stall.

"…Thanks…" I mumbled. "…I'm sorry for all the trouble we're causing you…" I couldn't help it.

"What do you mean?" Sebastian asked, leaning his cheek against his palm as he rested his elbow atop the counter.

"First, you have people ogle at you because you helped me up from the floor, then Tiffany drags you off to selecting a dress, then you have to handle the problem all alone, when Tiffany, most _unconventionally_ , leaves us to our own devices in something strictly _she_ wanted to do…" I counted them off on my fingers, as Sebastian looked at me with a mildly amused expression. "…then you paid for a dress, shoes and etcetera, which cannot be cheap in the slightest, and now you have to play doctor to stupid old me."

Sebastian chuckled. I just had to let it all out. Why was he being so nice?

He simply said, "Every point you mentioned so far occurred because I chose to do so. I have nothing better to do as it is." He now sipped on a cold coke and passed me a packet of fries. "Besides, I enjoyed myself. You are a very interesting individual, Ashlyn."

I sighed. Biting on a fry, I asked, "Is that supposed to be a compliment?"

"Hmm…I suppose." He said, smirking at me.

I laughed.

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><p><strong>AN:** Sebby-kun is so kawaii here, ne? I kinda modeled him on someone I know, because he's also very sweet at times. We once went shopping together, and we ran around the store looking for what we needed. So it's similar, but different to what I wrote here. Anyways...R&R!


	6. Figure THIS Shit Out

**Author's Note: **Another long chapter for this story...and I want to thank all my lovely reviewers for posting wonderful comments! Thanks to you all, I'm motivated to not give very long breaks between updating! :D *does happy dance* *hands out cookies and Sebby plushies to every reviwer* *dishes out chocolate pastries to favouriters/followers*

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><p><strong>Chapter 6: Figure THIS shit out<strong>

"You have a beautiful laugh, Ashlyn," Sebastian complimented. "You should laugh more often."

"…umm…thank you…" I mumbled.

"You listen to 'My Chemical Romance'?" he asked out-of-the-blue. Noting my puzzled expression, he helpfully pointed to my t-shirt.

"Umm…yes, I do…" I said.

"Which song do you like the most?" Sebastian asked, sipping on his coke (ignoring the straw). I stirred my frappe with mine.

"There are quite a few, actually…" I said. "Helena, Desolation Row, Welcome to the Black Parade, Teenagers…but I think my favourite would be-"

"Famous Last Words?" Sebastian smirked.

My eyes widened in absolute shock. Sebastian chuckled and punched my arm lightly.

"Lucky guess?" he said in a joking tone. "I think not. You see…" he stated to spin the straw on his fingers like a drum stick. "Our tastes are very similar, from what I examined last night."

"…yeah…" I was still slightly shocked. That's when I noticed it again.

On the hand playing with the straw, fitted almost too snugly onto his slim wrist, was a silver bracelet with 'Raven' engraved on it. The skin under it was flushed; I suspected a slight tough to the ravaged skin would make it bleed.

It was weird because the slim silver chain bracelet he wore right next to the 'Raven' one was quite loose-fitting. Even the Rolex he wore on the other wrist was quite loose. So I understand he's not actually the type to wear a very tight wrist accessory.

"Sebastian…" I questioned. "…doesn't that hurt?" I pointed to the bracelet.

Sebastian scrunched up his eyebrows a he looked down at the wrist with the bracelet that was currently offending me. He smiled once he was looking at me.

"Slightly, yes." Sebastian chuckled. "Actually quite a lot. In fact, it severely restricts free wrist movement."

"It must be given by someone very dear, if you wear it despite the pain it inflicts on you." I said softly.

He fingered the engraving. "Hmm."

"You know…" I began, trying to push further than a 'hmm' for a reply. "…my cat is called Raven and he also wears a similar…very similar…bracelet." I wonder if Raven's been running off to him? But that's crazy! How would Raven know this guy? And even if he was, why would Sebastian take off its bracelet, wear it, and then say someone important gave it to him?

Okay, I'm going paranoid again. And the concept of my cat going to an utter stranger, along with Sebastian's info about the bracelet's origin, was fucking my mind up. But even if it was a theory, there's got to be a better explanation than 'hmm'.

"… … is that so?" Sebastian was now watching the bubbles from the coke accumulate at the straw he had dipped into the drink.

"Yes…" I said. "Say, Sebastian, may I ask you a question?" He was being forward to the point that he was buying me clothes. That clearly meant he wanted to be friendly with us. So I could applaud his attempt and open up a bit by asking him one question, right?

"Shoot." He looked up straight ahead.

"Did you ever run into my cat?"

Sebastian turned to look at me with a strange look upon his handsome features. "I'm afraid I haven't met your cat before. Why?"

Just then, Tiffany walked over to us in the food corner. Much to my chagrin.

"You're done?" Tiffany exclaimed surprised. We nodded. "Seriously?"

"About time you dragged your ass back to us…" I grumbled, as Tiffany sweat-dropped. "What were you thinking, leaving us to do something _you_ dragged us into?"

"Hey, hey, Ash, chill!" She defended herself. "It was Glade. I HAD to take the call. Anyways, whatcha buy?" She looked skippy.

Sebastian handed her the shopping bag. She peeked in curiously. "Seriously?" she repeated. "This has got to be very expensive!"

To this, Sebastian and I simultaneously replied. I said, "I tried to forbid Sebastian, I mean-" when he cut across me, speaking louder than me, "It's not a big deal."

"…well, wow. That's superbly gorgeous." Tiffany concluded, sitting at the bar on Sebastian's other side. "I bet it looks real cool on Ash."

"It does, indeed," Sebastian said, smiling at Tiffany. I guessed he was smiling, even though I couldn't see it. Because what I could see was that she was fighting down a blush. I was blushing at the compliment too. "Excuse me; we'd need a strawberry smoothie here!"

Tiffany gaped. "…how did you know I wanted a strawberry smoothie?"

Sebastian chuckled, passing her the smoothie the bartender had just set down in front of him. "Coincidence, I guess."

"Huh…" Tiffany looked confused/impressed/freaked out. Sebastian chuckled.

"Honestly," he smirked, twirling the straw in his coke between two long fingers. He was wearing black nail-paint. "You ladies bother too much about small details. After all, if I couldn't get a choice dress or a good drink for a lady, now what kind of a man would I be?"

"The ordinary jerk, I guess…" I replied, without taking my eyes off my Oreo frappe, remembering the kind of guy Ryan was.

Sebastian and Tiffany both looked at me, one with confused/curious eyes, and the latter with hurt in her vision.

"…hey!" I snapped my fingers in front of them. "What's with the stare? Seeing the Statue of Liberty for the first time?"

Tiffany blinked rapidly. "Umm…Ash-"

Whatever she was going to say was interrupted by Sebastian as he leaned forward and placed his hand atop my head.

He bent slightly to bring his gaze parallel to mine. "I hope I'm not being too forward on this…" he locked his gaze with mine. My world seemed to have stopped as all I could see were the dark depths of those crimson orbs…and I was mesmerized by how real they looked for contacts. Or were they?

"Whatever that bothers you so much should never be worth your thought, okay?" he said softly. His cool, sweet, minty breathe washed over my face as he spoke. "You should move on from those bad feelings and bestow your trust upon a worthier candidate."

All of us sat speechless for about five seconds that seemed like five centuries to me. It did to Tiffany too, noting by the facial expression I caught a glimpse of momentarily.

Sebastian chuckled as he ruffled my hair. "All right. Ashlyn, Tiffany, I've greatly enjoyed being with you two." He got up. "But I guess I have to leave now…" He handed me my shopping bag. "I hope you've had a good time." He motioned to the bartender, and before either of us could react, he pulled out his wallet and handed the guy some cash.

"See you around at the Black Stone, then." He said.

"… … … bye…" Tiffany said, still muddled by everything that had happened.

"See you…then…" I said, also confounded by what just happened.

We sat together in rapt silence; chairs turned away from the bar, watching Sebastian's tall, dark silhouette grow indistinct and disappear in an upcoming crowd, and sipping on our drinks.

After he had disappeared completely, we set our empty cups on the counter.

"…so…" Tiffany said, looking straight ahead.

"…so…?" I replied, still looking straight ahead, nowhere in particular.

"I was right…" Tiffany said dreamily.

"… … don't jump to conclusions…" I said in a slow mumble.

"… …"

**-unusual pet-**

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, oh MY GOD!" Tiffany finally started screaming when we were out of the mall, down the garage, in the car, all strapped up, and I had just brought us onto the street. "Ashlynnn…did that just happen? Or was I dreaming? What the fuck, bitch? Say something!"

"Well," I said, trying to keep my mind off the 'incident' otherwise I'd probably lose sight of the road. "I guess it would be much weirder if we were having the same dream…"

"…what?"

"Yes, since the other alternative disturbingly screams ESP, I'd say: yes," I concluded, now speaking to myself. "That just happened..."

"OMG…" Tiffany said, dreamily staring off in another direction (looking at nothing in particular).

"…in any other situation," I said. "But I'd rather take ESP, than what happened at the mall to be something more than a dream." I finished.

"…" Tiffany looked at me with a WTF expression.

"Yeah, I still can't believe that happened." I said, concentrating much more than necessary on steering and the pedals.

"He's totally interested in you, Ash!" Tiffany was back to normal. "The way he complimented you, the way he looks at you…and now all those comforting words; it all sums up to the fact that he likes you!"

"…oh, really…?" I said. Everything Tiffany said seemed questionable to me at the moment. That was normal. Reality seemed questionable to me at the moment. That was not normal. Not normal was abnormal, and thus, a matter of slight concern.

"…you know what, Ash?" Tiffany yelled, throwing her hands up in frustration. "I give up. I give up trying to hook you up with anyone. You wouldn't understand that a guy likes you unless he told you 'I'm looking at you like that since I'm in love with you.'"

"Looking at me like what?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"…YEARGHABLE!" Tiffany's upcoming words turned to gibberish.

"The frappe was really good…" I said. "We should have it more often…"

"…yeah…wait, are you even listening to me?" Tiffany growled.

"..sure I am…" I said. "You tried to hook me up with Sebastian. Everything that happened was an illusion you planned; to make me believe he likes me."

"…I never thought the day would come when Ashlyn fails to make sense…" Tiffany shook her head morosely.

"…Sebastian is too good for me. He wouldn't be interested in a plain, unattractive girl like me…" I said. "…Tiffany, you shouldn't have told Sebastian to try and make me fall for him…"

"…grraaahhahhhhahh…" Tiffany cried, looking ready to bash her head against the dashboard. "I did NOT preplan that, you loser! I did nothing, you get that?"

"…I love sugar…" I mumbled under my breath. And then, I giggled.

"To hell with your sugar…wait, you love _sugar_?" Tiffany exclaimed, throwing her hands up in frustration. "But you don't even _eat_ sugar! You don't drink coffee with sugar!"

I smiled at her sagely. "I don't think I've ever felt attracted to wine so much before…"

"_Wine?_" Tiffany looked very confused as we drove into our block (Tiffany lives next door to me). "…but you don't drink wine!"

We finally parked in my driveway.

"Thank god we got home safely, with this gone-case driving the car…" Tiffany said.

"I wonder where Raven is…" I said, dreamily.

"Meow~!" A kitty voice happily exclaimed and jumped out from the backseat to the front.

"AAAHHHHHH!" Tiffany yelped, banging her head on the car hood, as the door sprang open and she fell onto the lawn.

"Heh, Raven…" I said, giggling fan-girlishly as he licked my face. "Heh heh heh…"

And I passed out.

**-unusual pet-**

"Fffuuuuuu-!"

I woke up with a start to the sharp pain across my cheek and lots of wetness on my face and upper body.

"-uuuckk!" I sat upright in one move, nearly knocking Tiffany off the couch (she had been bending over me to see if I was alive). The burning sensation on my cheek was due to Tiffany's sharp slap, and the wetness was possibly due to the mug-loads of water she'd been pouring on me to get me back to my senses.

"Thank god, you're okay!" Tiffany said, sitting on the floor Indian-style. From atop the arm-rest opposite to the one I was leaning on, Raven meowed in a concerned tone.

"I'm okay, guys. Don't worry…" I massaged my sore head. Everything seemed so foggy.

"Ash, are you really okay?" Tiffany shook me by my shoulders. "Proclaiming love for sugar and wine…I could almost see you sprouting rainbow tails! What the hell, man?"

"… … … huh?"

Tiffany groaned and slumped down onto the floor again. This was going to be a long night.

**-unusual pet-**

"There's no way in hell I'd behave so stupid…" I said, embarrassed.

"It's the bitter truth, honey," Tiffany yelled from my kitchen, cooking some pasta. The yummy smell wafted into the living room, where I sat, still scrunched up, on the couch. "For a moment there, I thought I'd lost you to the Fluffy-Cotton-candy-and-Gummy-Bears world forever."

"I know it's real…" I groaned, pulling off my wet jumper, leaving me in a plain black tank top.

"What, the Fluffy-Cotton-candy-and-Gummy-Bears world?" Tiffany yelled.

"No, you retard," I growled back. "Why would I even say that?"

Tiffany laughed a hollow laugh. "If you'd seen what I saw an hour back with the 'I love sugar' and the fangirl giggles over pretty kitty, you wouldn't be asking me that." Tiffany seemed to mentally shudder. Whatever aspect of me she was recalling, I don't think I ever wanna know.

I sighed deeply. "I recall it quite clearly now. As in, everything before Sebastian walked away…it's just that…" I wiped my wet face using the front of my dry tank top. "…I'm trying to convince myself that there's no way in hell I could behave so stupid after that. I don't recall it, so I'm trying to make myself feel better, you know."

Tiffany sighed. "You can't make yourself feel better if you know you're trying to make yourself feel better."

I bit at the black polish that was beginning to crumble off my nails.

"Point." I said. "But it's always worth a try." Every memory from the point Sebastian touched my hair goes slightly hazy…but there are these hard brutal details I'm getting back now…

Tiffany moved about the kitchen busily. I had volunteered to help with dinner, but she wouldn't let me. So I turned on my stereo and Volbeat's 'The Hangman's Body Count' began to play. I lowered the volume to allow Tiffany's existence, while Raven hopped onto my Xbox and closer to the stereo.

"You'd almost think the cat likes the stuff you listen to…" Tiffany looked at Raven with the usual freaked-out expression she sported around my cat, as she placed two trays of pasta and sausages on the centre table.

She sat next to me and we picked up the bowls.

"Hey, Tif…" I started; swallowing my first mouthful. The pasta was scrumptious. Tiffany cooks _way_ better than I do. "There's something I remembered all of a sudden…"

Tiffany bit into a sausage. "Hmm? What is it?"

"Sebastian…" I said, as it seemed both Tiffany and Raven turned their attention onto me. "He…he's different from other guys…isn't he?"

Tiffany observed me for a second. "He surely is…but what of it?"

I set my bowl down on the tray, and turned to face Tiffany completely. "You're not gonna believe this, but I think…he's got some sort of connection to minds."

Tiffany looked like she would choke. "Seriously, Ash? You're the one telling me that I'm psycho, yet you sit there telling me he can read minds-?"

"Look…look, Tif…" I said, trying to cut off whatever she was opening her mouth to say. "That moment…which seems more and more real with every passing moment…" I closed my eyes tight. "I know this is ridiculous, but it seemed as if his eyes…" I opened my own eyes. "They were coercing me into a daze…as if they were making my mind submit to his words…"

Tiffany was observing me intently, fork stuck in her mouth. "Ya mean ta say dat he can control whatcha tink?"

"No…but I'm pretty sure it's hypnotism of some sort… I said, stabbing random pasta, building them up on my fork. "It was as if he was willing me to think he and his words were the only things that really mattered in the world…" I stuffed my mouth with the accumulated food.

Tiffany picked up her can of coke from the table and took a sip. "So you mean to say that he can charm a person into acting like a complete nut-job?"

"Hmm…probably…" I finished, sipping on my coke. "In any case, I'm not yet full out on trusting him."

"…he's put us in a bad situation, hasn't he?" Tiffany scratched her chin as she chewed. "Buying you that expensive dress, inviting us over to Black Stone…he's done so much, we can't really avoid him now. That's gonna be plain unruly."

"Point again." I agreed. "But, what I'm saying is, we shouldn't lower our guard around him."

"But then again…" Tiffany said. "This all may be a figment of your imagination and what you felt was actually butterfly overload in your stomach cause you like him. His closeness and his soothing words might have you temporarily bamboozled. That's not a reason to doubt poor Sebastian." As I gaped at her, she put down the fork she was abut to stuff into her mouth and said, "I was simply suggesting an alternate possibility…" Glare. "Hey! You always do that when _I_ say something's fishy with your cat!"

"Listen, bitch," I growled under my breath. "I've fallen in love before, and I think I'm smart enough to differentiate between stomach-butterflies and a complete 'mesmerisation'. Stomach butterflies may make you think the world is a more beautiful place, but not completely rob you off every ounce of reasoning."

"Look…" Tiffany said. "Perhaps it's Sebastian's unnaturally gorgeous looks that's doing it. He's got some amazing contacts…"

"They're not contacts…" I mumbled.

"Excuse me?"

"They're not contacts." I repeated. "Believe it or not, Tif, those are his actual eyes. I've seen them up so close…" I could feel a slight flush rise up my cheeks. "…trust me on this. They're sure frickin' not contacts."

"…okay, now you're just scaring me." Tiffany said, finishing her pasta. "He sounds like some sort of vampire…he sure does look gorgeous enough to be one…"

"I'm dead serious, Tif." I said. "He's done some pretty shady stuff from time to time…"

I repeated the time he told me that he had watched a trailer for that movie on the TV, just like I did. How he'd said he was waiting for someone the night we first met him at the mall, yet no one showed up to meet him, and he left when we did, without meeting anyone. How all the girls started talking to him like they were old friends within fifteen minutes of knowing him. How he'd disclosed the big secret of being DJ Mystique to us, but not discussed anything general, like where he lived, or where he was from. And today, he said he was here to buy something for someone special, yet, there was no package in his hand when he said his work was done. And he'd almost readily agreed to help two strangers he'd known roughly for two hours (leaving behind whatever he had come to do in the mall in the first place). Picking out a dress I would definitely like. Paying for the said expensive dress. Somehow reading off Tiffany's mind about the smoothie and my mind about 'Famous Last Words'. And the creepiest of all…the bracelet on his arm which looked akin to my cat's. And his reluctance (along with the unusual facial expressions) to answer any questions related to it.

"… … …" Tiffany was justifiably out of words when I finished narrating my entire observatory analysis.

"So…" I relaxed my back against the arm rest and gnawed my lower lip. "Figure this shit out."

"… … …"

"Tif?"

"…you notice quite a lot, have I ever told you that?" Tiffany chuckled humorlessly. "…I…I think I just got mind-fucked."

Raven jumped up onto my lap, and rolled into a ball, purring contentedly.

"I'm pretty mind-fucked too." I said, scratching the cat behind his ears as he purred softly. He ran his tail along my arm.

"Your cat adores you, huh." Tiffany said distractedly.

"Yeah, I guess." I said.

"Sebastian seems to, too." Tiffany continued. "'Worthier candidate', huh? I'm not a genius, but even I could sense that it clearly meant 'the previous douche bag in your life should be forgotten, cause I'm the hot stuff and I'll be your knight in shining armour."

"Hot stuff? Knight in shining armour?" I looked at Tiffany with a scrunched-up nose. "From where, I beseech you, do you come up with such jackshit?"

"Wikipedia." Tiffany smirked, just to burst into peals of laughter.

I joined her as we tumbled to the floor. Raven purred in dissatisfaction before leaping out of my lap and strutting towards my bedroom.

"Cat's got some dignity." Tiffany shook her head in disdain. I chuckled, before interjecting:

"Aristo-cat."

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><p><strong>AN**: Ne, ne? Whatcha all think? Funny? Cute? I know that things are speeding up slightly, but there's a lot to happen, and I don't want this story crossing 50 chappies...

R&R!


	7. The Black Choker and the Stupid Cat

**Author's Note: **Gaah, this chapter is shorter than the previous ones cause I've been working on the new chapter for Bittersweet Vengeance. There's a distinct absence of reviews, so apparently no one is reading that (or it's not good enough to review on, perhaps)? DX So I'll try to update both of these simultaneously..

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><p><strong>Chapter 7: The Black Choker and the Stupid Cat<strong>

Tiffany had left, and I was now dressed in my nightgown, hair tied up, ready to settle in for a good-night's sleep after the entire day's events.

Raven jumped onto the bed as I pulled up my covers. I turned to face the cat.

And then, I remembered something.

"Raven, come here, baby…" I said, grabbing the cat under the foreleg-pits, and placing it on my lap as I propped myself up against the backrest.

I checked his arm. And surely, both my cat and Sebastian wore the bracelet on the same hand/paw. The right one.

The bracelet fit my cat's paw snugly. To say Sebastian's was tight-fitting would be an understatement.

"Meow?" The cat looked up at me with large, shining eyes. In the yellow light of my bedside lamp, the crimson hue shimmered a brilliant vermillion.

"You know, Raven…" I mumbled to my cat. "Your eyes are frighteningly like Sebastian Michaelis's…"

The cat purred. I couldn't decipher what this particular one meant.

It stared at me as I touched my nose to its little black one. It blinked as I set it down beside me.

I was about to turn off my lamp, when he suddenly sprung to its legs and leapt down from the bed into the darker corners of my room.

"Raven…" I growled menacingly. "Not _now_…"

But my anger gave away when the cat jumped back up onto my bed, and trotted over my quilt at me. It had something hanging from its mouth.

"What have you got there, ma man?" I reached out and Raven dropped whatever it had in its mouth on my outstretched palm.

It was a black choker with red stones embedded all over it. It was gorgeous, to say the least. The stones glimmered with the same sheen as Raven's eyes.

_This must have cost quite a lot_, I thought. That's when I saw the small label attached to it.

I examined it closer to my lamp. Written in a stylish cursive script was the following: _"For a __**special **__lovely lady who has stolen my soul." _The 'special' was in bold_._

I read the sentence, and reread it about ten times before turning to my cat.

"Raven, where did you get this?" I questioned, frustrated. Honestly, I'd had way too many surprises for one day; I didn't need another one thrown into my face just as I was about to close this far-too-eventful-for-my-taste day with a good night's sleep.

Raven looked back into the dark part of my room, and turned back to face me. It stared into my eyes for about four to five seconds, turned its small head away, moved in circles, and tucked its head down, purring.

"Hey, you bastard kitty!" I yelled. "Don't you go off to sleep when I'm asking you something!"

A kitty groan was all I got.

"Wow. Just wow."

I fell back against my pillows, choker still in hand.

That's when the entire day (minus the starstruck nonsense) came flying into my head.

**_"…Sebastian! What brings you here?"_**

**_"Oh, I was going around the mall because I wanted to buy something for someone special."_**

**_ "Oh, okay…Sebastian, if it isn't much work, could you help us with some-"_**

**_ "Thanks a lot, Sebastian. Tiffany. Sebastian is busy-"_**

**_"Actually, I'm done, and I was about to leave. If I could be any help…"_**

I couldn't believe it. I didn't want to think it distantly possible.

**_'…_****_special_****_ lovely lady…'_**

**_'…wanted to buy something for someone _****_special_****_…'_**

I couldn't believe it, even in my wildest dreams.

_Okay, Ash. Get real. You didn't see any parcel with him, did you? And he was coming out of a gents' clothing store. How could he buy a choker from there? Something of this shape and size couldn't be concealed in a jeans pocket. Perhaps inside his coat?_

_Possible._

_But why buy me a choker and not give it to me? How did it get to my house? He doesn't know where I live!_

_Right?_

I wasn't sure I was ready to believe anything about Sebastian at this point. The guy was creepy in the most inconspicuous of ways. The most inconspicuous of ways was the creepiest way to get creepy. That way, only your victim knows that you're creepy. Everyone else sees your victim as the creeper, not you. Very convenient, very effective, and secretive to boot.

_Sebastian knows more about me than I think._

The thought disturbed me. But I had this gut feeling, and it seemed absurdly right. You know, those times when you'd rather believe someone's supernatural rather than admitting he's superhuman? I was going through that phase.

_This is sent by Sebastian. For sure. The note's meaning…I don't know. Is he really falling for me or something? Could Tiffany be right?_

_Or is he toying with my mind?_

_But why would he? We didn't even know each other two days back!_

_How does he know where I live? How did he know that I watched the trailer for that movie on TV? No one was with us at that time…just me and…_

I looked at Raven, sleeping peacefully.

_It's as if red-eyed Sebastian and my crimson-orbed cat are the same being…_

It makes sense.

_If he was Raven, he'd know where I live, the kind of music I listen to. Come to think of it…he could have made up that entire conversation on our first night at the mall, just to impress me and have me at ease with him._

I chuckled to myself. So much sense. A guy turns into a cat, stalks a girl, faces her in human form, impresses her and her friends, and sends her gifts in a stalker-ish manner.

_I'm getting influenced by Tiffany's supernatural virus. Which she seemed to have abandoned when I needed her to have it._

That's when a crazy idea came into my mind. I have no clue why I even went with it, but it seems my hands had a will of their own when they scooped up Raven (waking him up in the most unconventional manner).

I brought Raven into my lap. The cat hissed at being awakened. I snapped the bracelet from its paw.

The cat hissed and snarled in protest.

_Hmm…let's try something, shall we?_

I had to keep it somewhere from where I could be sure it was there. That just one of this existed. It was crazy, but no one else gets to know about this.

So, reaching beneath my nightgown, I slipped the slim belt of the bracelet through the ring of my bra strap, and tucked the rest under it. There's no way I would be losing it.

"Hey, Ashlyn, you done?" Tiffany walked into my room, sipping on a can of Red Bull.

She was wearing the knee-length strapless bronze dress we bought just yesterday. Matched with sparkling gold earrings, knee-length net stockings and gold pumps, she looked fashionable, but not gaudy.

"You look so cute!' I said, picking up my purse.

Tiffany just stood and stared at me.

"What did you do to your hair?" She asked.

I looked at her. "Nothing."

"Why not?" She asked.

"Umm…isn't it fine like this?" I asked.

"…you know, the fact that you're dressed up for club is enough. I really shouldn't be asking for more." Tiffany said. "And, fyi, you look stunning. Sebastian's gonna go head-over-heels."

"Bitch, please…" I said, turning off the lights of my bedroom, as we stepped into my living room. "Oh, and by the way, he's already seen this dress n me. He picked it out, remember?"

"Fuck…" she said. "Ruined all the fun of that, didn't it?"

"Shut up…" I said. We heard a car horn outside my house. "And that must be Glade."

Two seconds later, my doorbell rang. As I went to answer it, Tiffany was too busy checking her reflection in the mirror for the last time.

"Hey, Glade," I said, as a tall, blonde guy stepped through the door.

"Hi, Ashlyn!" He said. He always sounded so charming and enthusiastic. Completely Tiffany's type. "You look so cool!" He said, looking at my dress.

"Thank you…" I said, not really knowing how to reply other than, "You don't look bad yourself."

He laughed, as I led him into the living room.

"Glade!" A blur of bronze tackled the guy in brown leather jacket and black jeans.

"Hey babe…"

I averted the scene as they kissed, busying myself in collecting my house keys. Turning away from where they stood snogging, I checked through my dress to feel the bracelet was still safely tucked beneath my bra.

And then, came my last agenda.

"Raven?" I called out as soon as the couple had stopped their ministrations. "Where are you?"

No meow. No shuffle of feet. No furball flying towards me.

"Fuck this cat. Guys, let's go," I was seriously annoyed. Glade and Tiffany followed me as I exited the house and locked it.

Tiffany sat in the front passenger's seat and I entered the back seat; Glade took the wheel, and we were off.

_Tonight…_I thought to myself…_Tonight, I get some answers._

Loud music reeked out of Club Black Stone as we stepped out of the car. The rest of the girls were already there. They took it in turns to hug Tiffany and Glade. They even hugged me for some reason.

"It's cause we got this invitation because of you!" Jan declared, laughing. "It's because Sebastian was totally interested in you! Now we get free entry to the VIP corner, all thanks to you!"

"Okaaay…" I was flustered. So Tiffany wasn't the only one who thought Sebastian was into me.

"Let's go, guys!" said Kate, as she grabbed my arm, dragging me towards the entry.

In her haste, she pulled me along way too fast, and I nearly tripped. To gain my balance, I reached out for the pillar nearby, and dropped my handbag.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Ash!" she exclaimed.

"Ugh, it's no big deal, really…" I said, as I reached down for my handbag.

And almost immediately, as I bent down…it was almost too quick to discern from a blur, but I am 100%sure…a black cat rushed past my handbag and into the club.

"Raven!" I called at the cat, but to no avail.

"Raven?" Kate said, confused. "As in, your cat?"

"Yeah!" I turned to look at her. "I think…no, I know I just saw my cat rush into the club."

"But what would your _cat_ be doing _here_? A _club_?" Kate looked even more confused. "Surely cat's don't drink booze…"

"I know," I said through gritted teeth. Explaining that cat's actions was always such a pain in the ass. "But my cat does pretty shady stuff from time to time…"

"Look, Ash," Kate turned to look at me. "Your cat found its way here, right? I sure it'll find its way back home." She grabbed my arm and started dragging me again. "Besides, it was probably just your imagination. I didn't see any cats…"

The door was locked, the windows were locked…there was no way Raven could have got out of that house. I reasoned to myself that it could have been someone else's cat for all I knew. But there was that nagging feeling, deep down, that it was my cat. He has done shady stuff. But urgh! How could he get out of the house with everything bolted (even the air vents. I made sure it couldn't escape like…god-knows-how-many-times before).

_We'll just have to wait and see…_I thought, letting her continue to drag me with her.

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><p><strong>AN:** So whatcha think? I hope this chapter was enjoyable...R&R! :D


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